


Face it All

by Marzipan



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Age Difference, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-30
Updated: 2012-11-30
Packaged: 2017-11-19 21:10:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/577691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marzipan/pseuds/Marzipan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He was being hunted, and he was surprised to find just how okay with that he was.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Face it All

 

Draco knew the minute he saw the boy that he was a Potter.

It was written all over him – the hair, the glasses, the unconscious self-confidence with which he walked through a room, knowing every pair of eyes was on him. Draco supposed that he should probably dislike the boy on principle alone. Putting aside any lingering childhood resentment that might remain on Draco’s part, he was walking into a position at Gringotts that Draco had worked ten hard years to get to. There were many people who wouldn’t blame Draco for it, either. Yet, from the start, Draco had found he just couldn’t find it in himself to hate.

The day in question Draco arrived to find the office abuzz with word of their newest colleague. Any new arrival would have been enough to start the gossip flying, but the fact that this was one of the golden Potter clan, transferred in from a tiny branch office in North Ireland, threw everyone into a complete tailspin. Draco was stopped twice before he’s even made it through the door, so that by the time he finally got inside he was certainly not in the mood to be forgiving.

He tossed his travelling cloak to one side with perhaps a bit more force than necessary and was just settling in behind his desk when a rap at the half open door served to interrupt him yet again. Biting the inside of his lip to prevent a scathing comment, Draco looked up to instead find his immediate supervisor standing with a tall, dark haired boy.

“This is the new kid; I’ll need you to show him around. I’m already late for a meeting.” And with that she was gone, the ends of her blond ponytail disappearing down the corridor.

Draco merely arched one eyebrow, well used to his boss’ brusque manner. His new charge didn’t seem overly put out either, stepping forward with a large smile on his face and reached Draco’s hand eagerly.

“Hi there, James Potter. Nice to meet you.”  His grasp was firm and he held on for what seemed to Draco to be a fraction too long before releasing his hand. Draco found himself surprised at the younger man’s eagerness and decided it was best to cut to the chase right away.

“Draco Malfoy,” he introduced himself.

“Oh, I know.”

Draco looked up sharply at his tone, properly meeting James’ eyes for the first time. His gaze was bold, confident, and there was something else there that Draco wasn’t sure he wanted to identify. He stood his ground, staring down the other man in silence for a minute, waiting to see if the other would break. Finally, he tilted his head slightly to one side and gestured, without looking, towards the door.

“That tour, then?”

James nodded, the ghost of a smile tugging briefly at his lips as he turned away, breaking eye contact at last. “Of course. I’ve been here once or twice before, of course, but I still don’t fully know my way around.”

The tour passed quickly and uneventfully, and once Draco had gotten James settled down to work he retreated back to his office, making sure to close the door securely this time. Although he had refused to let it show, he couldn’t deny there was something about James that disturbed him. While there was much that was familiar about him, there was an ambitious, cut-throat edge to the young man that he had certainly not inherited from his father. Wryly, Draco reflected that, had Harry exhibited those same traits all those years ago then the friendship he had tried to initiate at that very first meeting would have stood a much stronger chance of succeeding. No, James was a very different man from his father, for all their physical similarities, as Draco had only to think back to intent look they had shared earlier to remember. He felt his stomach clench at that thought but quickly pushed it away, throwing all his focus into the work before him.

*****

The day was ending almost before Draco knew it, and the intense focus he had forced himself to adopt had resulted in him catching up on quite a bit of the work that had been slowing piling up on his desk lately. Still he lingered, not wishing to subject himself to more of the curious chatter that still hovered from the morning. He had just decided the coast was probably clear enough and had gathered his cloak up when another knock sounded on his door. He had no time to respond before it was thrown open, however, and then just as quickly closed tightly as he found himself once more in the presence of James Potter.

“What do you think you’re doing?” He demanded.

“Have you been avoiding me today?”

“Wha ...” Draco felt his mouth open in surprise before he snapped it shut angrily. “Don’t be ridiculous. I have other things to do besides babysit. I showed you around this morning; I didn’t think you’d need someone to hold your hand too.”

James took two quick steps forward. “See, that’s not what the ladies in the lunch room said. Found it pretty odd that you hadn’t even gone for a cup of coffee all day.”

“And why would that mean I was avoiding you?” Draco swallowed thickly.

“I thought maybe it might have something to do with the way you were looking at me earlier.” One more step and now James was close enough that Draco could reach out and touch him if he wanted to. One dark eyebrow was arched and the expression Draco had been unable to identify before had returned.

“The way I looked -!?” Draco cut himself off with a start when he felt the warm brush of finger tips sweep across his cheek. “What are you doing?!”

James’ other eyebrow rose in response, and Draco didn’t need him to actually answer to hear the _isn’t it obvious_ that was implied with the gesture. “I’m old enough to be your father.”

“So?” James’ hand was back, and this time he let the whole palm rest against Draco’s cheek, his thumb pressing gently into the skin right under Draco’s eye and his fingers brushing softly against short blond strands.

“Is this a game then?”

That did seem to surprise James, for he paused, frowning slightly. “Why on earth would you think that?”

“I’m not just old enough to be your father, I _am_ your father’s age. You went to Hogwarts with my son, for Merlin’s sake! With all the history there I don’t see how you could possibly think this is a good idea.”

“Well, I wasn’t really thinking about my family right now. Or yours,” James blinked. “But I know I like you. That seems good enough for me.”

James inched forwards another half step and flashed a cocky grin, and suddenly something clicked into place for Draco. The look James had given him that morning – was giving him right now, in fact; the uneasy feeling Draco had been caring around in his gut all day. He was being hunted, and he was surprised to find just how okay with that he was.

“I haven’t been with anyone since my wife died,” he offered, one last protest to show he wasn’t completely beaten. James’ answering grin told Draco that he had seen it for just what it was, however.

Not wanting to give away the upper hand completely, Draco closed the small amount of space between them. Arms wrapped around James’ chest to pull him close enough for his lips to explore soft and slightly salty tasting skin. They stayed that way for several minutes until they finally had to part, breathing heavily.

“Well,” James said, grin still firmly in place although not quite so cocky as before, “I guess that just means you’ll need some extra practice.”

A snort of laughter escaped Draco at that, which he cut off by claiming James’ lips once more with his own.

No time like the present, as they say.


End file.
